A Rose By Any Other Name
by theawkwardpincushion
Summary: Rose Lavellan - toddler, troublemaker, and surprisingly good matchmaker Rated M for future events
1. Chapter 1

Mira Lavellan had cooperated with the Inquisition. She did what they required of her, and she had even offered to do more. While she seemed the perfect...whatever they wanted her to be, she did all this for a selfish reason.

That reason's name was Rose.

When the Lavellan clan sent their concerns, Mira jumped at the chance. She pulled Cullen aside before giving the job to anyone.

"I have a very big, very important favor to ask of you," she said, looking at her feet, "and it may not even be possible. I just..."

"What is it?" he asked softly. He was so kind, so caring, even though he had the responsibility of the soldiers on his head. That was why Mira trusted him.

"If you go to reassure my clan," she said, "feel free to bring a few soldiers. A _few._ They'll attack you on sight if you seem threatening. That's not what I needed to say, though." She ran her fingers through her hair and took a deep breath. "There is a little girl with the clan. She's three years old and she has the greenest eyes you'll ever see and hair blacker than night. Her name is Rose. I need you to bring her back with you."

"Why?" Cullen asked. Kind and caring? Yes. Quick-witted? No.

"She's my daughter. I left her in the care of the Keeper, but the Conclave was a disaster...I'm not sure how much longer she'll keep her safe. She _hates_ her for something that isn't even her fault...I'm rambling now, I apologize," Mira said, "I need to have Rose with me so I can be sure she's safe, but I don't want to give anyone the chance to disagree with me. You'll have to keep this from them until she's here."

"I...absolutely," he said, "I understand."

"No, Cullen, you don't. You don't know half of it. Just give me your _word_ that you will do _everything_ in your power to make sure she gets home to me safely."

"You have my word. I will protect her with my life," he reassured. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Than you."

"Absolutely."

Mira nodded and returned to the war table, assigning the mission to him. "This is top priority," she said.

"But-" Josephine started to say.

"_This is top priority,_" Mira said, shooting the diplomat a glare. "We get this done as soon as we can."

"As you wish," she grumbled.

"I will accompany the soldiers," Cullen stated, "this is important, and I will not see errors made where they can be avoided. We will leave at once."

"Thank you, Commander," Mira said, "I believe that is all."

She left for her small cabin, sliding down the wall and shaking. She wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her face between them. _He gave me his word. She will be safe. She will be _home.

"I want twenty men with me. We won't take them all to the camp itself, but we'll need the extra protection," Cullen said. He looked at the soldiers in front of him, holding onto his every word. He would take his best, with the importance of this mission. Twenty of his best men and women, plus him. They were the protection detail of a three-year-old. He quirked a corner of his mouth in a smile. _She's a very important three-year-old._

"Gather your supplies and we will leave within the hour," he commanded. The soldiers in front of him saluted him, fists on their chests, and dispersed.

"I am the leader of the protection detail for a three-year-old," he laughed, shaking his head and smiling. There were worse things to be.

He gathered his supplies and waited at the gate.

He met Mira there, looking so anxiety-ridden he feared she would fall apart in front of him.

"I need you to know a few things about Rose," she said. Her hands shook. "She can't have small foods or she'll choke, and she loves to put things in her mouth, no matter how dirty they are. You'll need to look out for that. And also she has horrible nightmares sometimes. The only way to get her to go back to sleep is to sing to her and run your fingers through her hair. It doesn't usually take long. She likes to ride on shoulders so she can see things better," that part made her smile, "she wants to be tall so badly."

"Mira," Cullen said, looking into her eyes, "I will keep your daughter safe, I promise."

"Please just hurry back with her. I haven't seen her since before the explosion, and she's probably scared. If she's not, she's lying. She begged me not to go..."

"You are here, and you will have your daughter back as soon as I can bring her to you. She will not be harmed in my care, you have my word," Cullen said. She gave him a smile that did not reach her eyes and made her way to her cabin.

He didn't think she would sleep very well that night.

It took the better part of the week to get close to the Lavellan clan. When they set up camp for the night, Cullen stood in front of his twenty men. "There is a reason I took so many of you for something that seems so small," he said.

"Lady Lavellan has a three-year-old daughter by the name of Rose. We are to make sure the child is unharmed on our return to Haven. You are to protect her with everything you can give. Understood?"

The soldiers seemed to agree.

"I'll take two of you with me to retrieve the child, as to not raise suspicion. We leave in the morning. Get some rest."

Cullen carefully approached the clan, making sure to show he had left his weapons at the camp. The hunters that guarded the entrance glared and took him to the Keeper of the clan.

"Why should we believe that you are not keeping Mira for your own selfish needs? I've no proof that she is with you shemlen willingly," she said, crossing her arms.

"She asked me to bring Rose to her, if that clears anything up," Cullen said, being sure to keep his tone even, "She was very insistent that I bring her back unharmed. You have my word that the child will not be hurt in my care."

The Keeper suddenly looked so tired. "Mira _would_ send an army to protect the girl. Fine, take her. Let me get her and her possessions." She walked to the large wagon that looked more like a tent than anything else. When she returned, she had a very small child following behind her.

Mira did not exaggerate the girl's appearance. Her green eyes seemed to glow in comparison to her drab surroundings, and her hair was the color of one of Leliana's crows.

"You're taking me to mommy," she said. It was not a question, it was a demand. Cullen liked the girl already.

"Yes, I am," he said, crouching down to be at eye-level with her. He smiled at her. "She sent an army to protect you, you know."

"I know," Rose said, smiling at him. She began to waddle to where the smoke from the soldiers' campfire was rising to the air. Cullen quickly thanked the Keeper for her compliance, and offered the Inquisition's services should she ever be in need of them. After she shooed him away, he caught up to the child.

Rose very quickly became popular among the soldiers, especially those with children waiting for them at Haven. Cullen suspected that he would have little trouble from them. He watched as they picked her up and carried her around, smiling so brightly the fire was almost unnecessary. Rose didn't seem bothered by the attention.

That night, they decided to travel through the night rather than waste time camping. They took turns carrying Rose, who fell asleep so easily even with the constant movement. Cullen carried her the longest, holding her to his armor and thinking how lucky she was that her mother survived the blast of the Conclave. She snored ever so slightly. It brought a smile to his face. _There are definitely worse things to be than the protection detail for a toddler._

When she started shaking and whimpering, he remembered what Mira had told him about her nightmares. It didn't take long for her to wake up and start to cry. He waved for his men to stop for a moment to rest.

Cullen sat down on a fallen tree and rocked the child slightly, singing a lullaby that his mother sang to him when he was small. He shook off one of his gloves and did as he was told, running his fingers through her hair. Rose's crying soon quieted to sniffling, and then she returned to sleep as Mira promised she would.

Rose started to shiver, clinging to him. His armor probably wasn't doing much to keep her warm.

He walked to the nearest soldier. "Hold her for a moment," he said quietly. The soldier gently took Rose from his arms, arching an eyebrow at his motives.

Cullen shrugged off the pauldroned coat he wore over his armor. It was mostly for decoration, but he assumed it would help. He situated it and gestured for the soldier to give Rose back to him and he wrapped her in the cloth. She soon stopped shivering and was peacefully asleep.

As they began moving again, there were whispers behind Cullen. They were probably the soldiers talking about how long he'd been carrying Rose. It had to have been a good hour and a half. Cullen saw no reason to pass her down, as his arms weren't tired.

Rose woke soon after the sun began lighting the paths. She squirmed in his arms until Cullen let her walk beside him.

"You're nice," she said. She beamed up at him.

"Thank you," Cullen laughed. He ruffled her hair. "You are too."

Mira stayed in Haven. She couldn't bear to leave when Rose would be coming back so soon. Cullen promised to hurry. She helped the refugees get food and she helped heal them. She got no sleep, and she barely ate.

"You have to eat," Josephine said to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. She had been told about Rose. While she wasn't thrilled, she understood. She had made sure Mira ate, slept, lived. She brought her food when she didn't show to dinner and read her reports from the scouts in the Hinterlands.

"I'm not hungry," Mira said, looking up at her from her usual spot on the floor.

Josephine sat across from her. "You haven't eaten since last night," she said, putting the plate of food in her lap. "Please try?"

Mira sighed and grabbed the fork. She poked at her food, half listening to that night's reports.

"...and Leliana's scouts have promised that Cullen should return by morning."

"What?" Mira said, eyes wide and ears perked up.

"She'll be here in the morning," Josephine said, smiling, "You should eat and wash up."

Mira shoveled the food in her mouth and almost kissed Josephine. She hugged her so tight she was pretty sure she heard her back pop. "I have to bathe. And get her a bed ready. And get books. I have to do so much. Thank you." Mira was almost frantic. But it was better than sitting on the floor and moping. Josephine shook her head, smiling, and left.

Mira didn't sleep that night. She sat on the wall, swinging her legs and waiting for the lights of the soldier's torches. It wasn't quite dawn before she saw them. Mira judged the distance from the top of the wall to the ground, and carefully let herself down. She drummed her fingertips on her thighs, waiting to see Rose. When she could clearly see Cullen, she saw a little, child-shaped lump that he was carrying.

She started running.

She almost collided with him, and he smiled at her. "She's been sleeping for a while now," he said. He carefully handed Rose to her.

Mira almost started crying there. Instead, she flung her free hand around Cullen's shoulders. "Creators bless you."

She pulled away, embarrassed at her outburst. "I'm sorry," she laughed. The sound made Rose squirm. "I have to get her into bed." She boosted the toddler somewhat, shifting her to her hip. She smiled at Cullen once more and walked to her cabin. Maybe the Inquisition wouldn't be so bad, after all.


	2. Chapter 2

There was smoke. So much smoke. There was fire and screaming and the air was thick with the smell of blood. Mira ran as fast as she could with Rose in her arms to the Chantry.

"Keep her safe," she told Cullen. She looked frantic and terrified. He nodded in understanding.

Then she was gone and Rose was screaming for her. She punched and kicked Cullen to try to get him to put her down. All she wanted was for Mira to come back. She wanted everyone to be safe and she wanted the world to stop burning around her.

Cullen took her down a path, farther and farther away from where they left Mira. She screamed and cried and used every curse word she knew. He didn't get mad at her, though. She was too young to understand that sacrifices had to be made, even when they hurt. And, _Maker, _they hurt so bad sometimes.

He had almost told Mira how he felt. The feelings had sprouted when she met them and made sarcastic remarks about their titles. They only grew as he saw how kind and compassionate she was. Rose just proved his point further. Now, it seemed petty. There were more important things to worry about than minor infatuations.

Rose had exhausted herself. She rested in fitful sleep with the healers while Cullen stood guard with his sword and shield. _If she doesn't make it, Rose will have no one._ He pressed on.

Mira kept telling herself that she had to keep going for Rose. She needed her mother, and Mira didn't know what would happen to her if she didn't make it back. She _had _to make it back.

The snow was so cold, though, and she was so tired. She was so _very_ tired. She kept telling herself that she had to make it back to Rose. Rose needed her. She needed Rose. She needed to see Cullen again and thank him for doing so much for her.

She kept going through all the things she needed to do – all she needed to stay alive for. Rose, Cullen, the Inquisition. Rose. _Rose._

She saw embers. Real embers. It gave her the strength to keep going through the Creators-forsaken snow. After this, Mira never wanted to see snow again.

She couldn't feel her legs or her hands or her face. She couldn't feel anything, really, except maybe the bite of the cold. She had to lift her numbed legs with her arms to get through the snow. _The Creators-forsaken mother _fucking_ snow._

Mira wanted to give up. Oh, the exhaustion was settling into her bones nicely. It bid her to just lay down in the snow and sleep. And she was tempted, so very tempted. But she had to remember Rose. If she died, Rose might get sent back to the Lavellan clan. She couldn't have that.

She saw the camp, but she wasn't sure it was real until Cullen and Cassandra were thanking their Maker and Cullen had curled his arms around her to carry her to a warm bed. She _really _knew it was real when Rose started screaming at Solas about not keeping her mommy safe.

She cursed the poor man in every way she knew how.

"May the Dread Wolf catch your scent!" she yelled, crossing her little arms.

_"At least she's okay"_ was the last thing Mira thought before letting the pull of sleep take her.

Rose was squirming in Cassandra's arms, trying to get loose so she could get to Mira.

"Your mother needs rest, little one," she said, straining to keep her hold.

"I wanna see her!" the toddler yelled, pushing herself away from Cassandra. The Seeker wouldn't let go, though, and so she stayed.

Rose's lip quivered as she looked up at Cassandra. "Please?"

Cassandra sighed. "You have to stay very quiet so she can sleep." She put Rose down and followed her to Mira's side.

Rose carefully climbed into the cot next to Mira. Her eyes opened slightly. "Hey, sweet pea."

"You need sleep," Cassandra insisted.

"Let her get comfy first," Mira mumbled, letting Rose rest her head on her bruised arm. She flinched at first, but Rose re-positioned herself. It didn't take long before she was snoring lightly next to her.

"I'm sorry," Cassandra started, "she insisted and-"

"It's fine. She hates being away from me," Mira said with a smile, "Besides, she's warm. I'll be okay with her here. If she feels safer, then leave her be."

Cassandra nodded and left Mira and Rose to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The trek to Skyhold was tedious. Rose frequently tired of the walking, which resulted in plenty of whining. She probably spend half of the trip being carried.

"My feet hurt," she said with a pout. Cullen sighed and picked her up, not wanting to fight. The three-year-old was relentless. He quickly learned that any sort of resistance would result in a temper tantrum. No one wanted that.

She snuggled into his arms, falling asleep quickly. She seemed to be a very touchy child. She was comforted by physical contact, one way or another. Sometimes she complained that his armor was too cold or hard, but she kept coming back.

"I think we've started taking turns without noticing," Mira said with a small smile, jogging to get to his side. "She likes you, you know."

"I've noticed," he laughed. He looked at the toddler in his arms. "I think I brought this on myself, actually. When we retrieved her from your clan, I tended to carry her whenever she asked. I think I was the one that carried her the most."

"That was sweet of you," Mira said. She ruffled the child's hair and winked at Cullen before jogging ahead of him, apparently off to converse with more of the ragtag group of people she'd collected.

He sighed like a lovestruck adolescent and watched her go, a goofy smile plastered to his face.

The nights were long and usually restless. Mira stayed up a good portion of the night making sure the refugees were comfortable and had enough food. She often gave her meal away for a family without one. Cullen found it admirable, albeit a bit foolish.

Mira put Rose to bed in their tent, kissing her forehead before crawling out.

She made her usual rounds, giving her dinner up for the third night in a row. Her stomach complained, but she couldn't bear to see people suffer. She smiled at the small family she'd given her food to and made her way to Cullen's tent, where he was standing outside and watching the commotion.

"Hey, you," she said, smiling up at him. He was at least a head taller than her.

"Evening," he said. He seemed to be in high spirits. He returned her smile, even though he felt his cheeks flush.

"I didn't thank you for being so great with Rose. She didn't get a lot of positive contact with other people with the clan. This is good for her," Mira said. She shifted on her feet, not meeting his eyes. Apparently, the mountains in the distance were very interesting.

"It's no problem," Cullen said, "I enjoy her company. She's a good kid." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking away. "If...if you don't mind my asking-"

"He's dead," Mira cut in, "Her father is dead. He died before she was born."

"I'm sorry," he said.

Mira nodded, still looking away. She took a shaky breath, closing her eyes and regaining her composure. She toyed with a necklace, and Cullen realized that it was a simple string holding an equally simple ring.

"He, uh...he was shot down. By my clan. He was a city elf, and they tended to not like city elves. We met when I was hunting...he kept a bear from killing me, actually," Mira said. She huffed in nostalgic amusement, looking at her feet. "We screwed around, and then I didn't have a chance to tell him about Rose. She actually looks a lot like him." Mira looked at her tent, sighing.

"If there's anything..."

"There isn't. It's just me and her now, and that's going to have to be good enough. She's strong. She'll turn out okay."

Cullen nodded, considering reaching out to her. She looked so small and sad. She was a leader, and she commanded respect while she was telling soldiers and scouts what to do. He was unused to her seeming fragile.

She shivered, rubbing her arms and drawing herself in more.

"Are you cold?" he asked, biting the inside of his cheek. She made him nervous. He commanded the Inquisition's forces, and they respected him as their superior, but he got nervous around a woman. She was beautiful, though. He would blame it on that.

"A bit," she said. Her cheeks and nose were slightly red. She smiled up at him. "You humans have it good. It's easy for you to put on fat to keep you warm. But elves? We're built to be fast and lithe. It's harder for us to stay warm in this Creators-forsaken snow."

Cullen decided to swallow his fear. He shrugged off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. "My armor is warm enough," he said, averting his eyes from hers.

"Thank you," Mira said. She seemed surprised as she wrapped it around herself. Her stomach made an embarrassing noise, making her cheeks flush from more than just the cold.

"Have you eaten?" Cullen asked, looking back at her. He saw her shift uncomfortably.

"I...I think I ate yesterday," she replied, "There was a family and they didn't have enough food to feed all four of them. I didn't want anyone to go hungry."

"I'll get you some dinner."

Mira watched him go. She wrapped herself in his coat tighter. She glanced around her, making sure no one was looking, before she buried her nose in the feathers. She learned that she loved how he smelled. They had gotten closer over the weeks they traveled. She liked his company more than she did the others.

She saw him coming back, two plates in his hands. She straightened herself, not wanting him to see her like that. It was embarrassing. She was a grown woman that was confident in herself (or that's what she told people). She shouldn't have to be embarrassed about her affections.

"You didn't have to," she said, poking an arm out of the coat to grab the plate.

He smiled. "I wanted to. You need to eat."

They found a log to sit on and ate in silence. She felt as if she sat too close to him, but he didn't complain. Their arms almost touched.

"We've a long day ahead of us," Mira said. She looked up at him and swore she saw him jerk his head away.

"That we do," Cullen replied. He glanced back at her and smiled.

"We should get some sleep," she said. She got up, still wrapped in his pauldroned coat, and started towards her tent.

He would let her keep it for that night.


	4. Chapter 4

Most of Skyhold was very accepting. No one really mentioned Mira's ears and all was good. She could go about her business and be taken seriously. That was the case until she oversaw the training of a new group of recruits.

She was discussing the condition of the current army with Cullen when she heard, "Good to know the Commander's fucking a knife-eared whore." At first, all the violent things she could do flashed through her mind. Some of them didn't even involve magic. She decided against it, though, and spun around.

"What did you say?" she accused, crossing her arms.

The offending recruit went pale. "I-I...nothing."

"Don't fucking lie to me," Mira growled. She made her way towards him in a few long strides. She was glaring up at him. "Tell me what you just said."

"I..."

"You called me a 'knife-eared whore.' I _heard _you. My ears are bigger than yours for a reason," Mira said. She stepped away from him. "Your sword. Go get it. You'll be sparring me today."

"B-but you have the unfair advantage," he started, stumbling over his words.

Mira turned to face Cullen again. He was watching the ordeal with a stoic expression. "Commander," she addressed, "do you not train your soldiers to defend against magic to the best of their ability?"

"I do, Inquisitor," the Commander said, "it's one of the first things I teach."

"Good." Mira looked at the recruit again. "Are you saying you're incompetent, then, soldier?"

He shook his head, his face pale. He was terrified. _Good._

"Then go get your fucking sword."

The recruit resigned to his fate and sulked to the armory. Mira readied herself in the training ground, crossing her arms. She muttered under her breath about ungrateful shems and their disrespect for anyone other than themselves. It was infuriating. Most of the recruits owed their lives to her, and they treat her with such flippancy.

"His name is Hughes," Cullen said behind her, still with the stoical tone of before.

"Thank you," Mira said, matching his inflection. She did not turn to look at him.

Hughes finally appeared, carrying a sword and shield. He seemed unsure of what to do, shifting from foot to foot and looking at the ground.

"Hughes," Cullen barked, "ready yourself."

He braced himself, in a decent-looking fighting stance.

Mira did the same, now looking at him with the eyes of the huntress she was known for being. She circled him, never taking her eyes away from his. He looked terrified still. _As he very well should._

She spun her staff, and a bolt of electricity shot towards him. He shakily deflected it with his wooden shield, bouncing it elsewhere.

Mira heard the beginnings of a crowd forming, murmuring and gasps as they fought. Hughes didn't stand a chance. Within minutes he was on the ground, Mira's staff blade at his throat.

"Dead," she chided. Hughes' throat bobbed as he swallowed his fear.

She did not help him up as he stumbled to his feet.

"Don't ever fucking call an elf that, let alone your Inquisitor. You fucking disgust me." Mira turned away and filed through the crowd.

Cullen tried to say something to her, but she ignored him. She continued to her quarters and slammed the door.

"Ungrateful _fucking_ shems!" she yelled, punching the stone wall. "Good for nothing fucking bastards!" With every word came another blow. She slid down the wall and put her face in her hands, knuckles bloody.

"Mommy?"

Mira looked up, seeing Rose. She was holding the stuffed nug that Krem had sewn her (Nibbles, she called it) in her tiny arms. "Yes, baby?"

"Why're you sad?"

Mira sighed. "People are mean sometimes. I'm not allowed to be sad outside, so I'm sad in here. Did I wake you up?"

Rose shook her head. "No."

Mira winced as she used her hand to push herself up. "Come on, sweetness. Let's get you and Nibbles some breakfast."

The pair made their way to the kitchens, Rose holding onto Mira's hand in one palm, and in the other she had Nibbles.

Mira tried to make nice with everyone. She didn't want Rose to see her as angry and spiteful as she felt. She even smiled at the chef. It was just terribly hard to act like every time you saw a human, you didn't flinch.

After they got their muffins, Mira knelt to the ground.

"I know I'm not as tall as the others," she laughed, "but it's been a while since I've carried you like this."

Rose giggled and climbed onto her back, squeezing her neck almost too tight. Mira walked out into the sunlight, making sure to keep Rose's head from the doorway. They strolled through Skyhold, listening to Rose talk about Nibbles. She wasn't _listening,_ per se, but she was nodding and agreeing when the toddler's voice sounded like a question.

"Inquisitor!"

Well, fuck.

Mira turned around, seeing Cullen jog up to her. "I wanted to give you space after...this morning, but since I saw you, I thought it'd be a good time," he said. Mira nodded, almost not listening to him as she took another bite of her muffin. She really didn't want to talk to him – or any human – right then.

"Mm-hmm."

"I'm sorry for Hughes. Not for-well yes, because he called you that, but-for the rumor that has apparently been going around. If I'd known about it..."

Mira snorted. "That was the only part about what the fucker said that _didn't _offend me." She heard Rose giggle at her profanity.

"Oh," the Commander said, rubbing the back of his neck. He was steadily turning red.

Mira smirked slightly and watched him squirm under her gaze. She took a bite of her muffin and shifted slightly. "I'll see you at the next meeting?" she asked. It wasn't really a question, but he nodded.

Mira turned on her heel, walking away.


End file.
